"Uncle Tom's Cabin" (1914)

"Uncle Tom's Cabin" (1914)

Library of Congress

This silent adaptation of Harriet Beecher Stowe's landmark 1852 anti-slavery novel is said to be the first feature-length film that starred an African American actor — Sam Lucas, who had appeared in the 1878 stage version.

This silent adaptation of Harriet Beecher Stowe's landmark 1852 anti-slavery novel is said to be the first feature-length film that starred an African American actor — Sam Lucas, who had appeared in the 1878 stage version. (Library of Congress)

This silent adaptation of Harriet Beecher Stowe's landmark 1852 anti-slavery novel is said to be the first feature-length film that starred an African American actor — Sam Lucas, who had appeared in the 1878 stage version.